F1 pole positions
Polesitters
| # | Grand Prix | Circuit | Driver | Constructor | Race | Pole margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | Phoenix | (AUT) Gerhard Berger | McLaren-Honda | DNF | 0.067s |
| 2 | Brazil | Interlagos | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 3 | 0.611s |
| 3 | San Marino | Imola | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | DNF | 0.561s |
| 4 | Monaco | Monte Carlo | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 1 | 0.462s |
| 5 | Canada | Montreal | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 1 | 0.066s |
| 6 | Mexico | Mexico City | (AUT) Gerhard Berger | McLaren-Honda | 3 | 0.271s |
| 7 | France | Le Castellet | (GBR) Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 18R | 0.110s |
| 8 | Britain | Silverstone | (GBR) Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | DNF | 0.643s |
| 9 | Germany | Hockenheim | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 1 | 0.236s |
| 10 | Hungary | Hungaroring | (BEL) Thierry Boutsen | Williams-Renault | 1 | 0.036s |
| 11 | Belgium | Spa-Francorchamps | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 1 | 0.583s |
| 12 | Italy | Monza | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 1 | 0.402s |
| 13 | Portugal | Estoril | (GBR) Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1 | 0.038s |
| 14 | Spain | Jerez | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | DNF | 0.437s |
| 15 | Japan | Suzuka | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | DNF | 0.232s |
| 16 | Australia | Adelaide | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | DNF | 0.573s |
- First pole position (drivers)
- Thierry Boutsen
- Last pole position (drivers)
- Thierry Boutsen
- First pole position (constructors)
- No constructor took their first pole position in 1990
- Last pole position (constructors)
- No constructor took their last pole position in 1990
- First pole position since…
- 1987 for Nigel Mansell
- 1988 for Gerhard Berger and Ferrari
- Last pole position until…
- 1994 for Ferrari
- First pole position by a…
- Belgian driver since 1972
- British driver since 1987
- Austrian driver since 1988